Written Answers Tuesday 21 July 2009

Scottish Executive

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of rotavirus infections.

Shona Robison: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations (JCVI), the UK-wide independent advisory panel that provides UK health departments with advice in relation to vaccines, receives regular updates on the surveillance of rotavirus from the Health Protection Agency and Health Protection Scotland. This surveillance has been taken into account by the JCVI when making its decisions about the rotavirus vaccines.

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital admissions resulted from a rotavirus infection in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The latest available information on hospital admissions from a rotavirus infection is shown in the following table.

  Number of hospital admissions with a diagnosis of rotavirus infection, by NHS board of residence; financial years 2003-04 to 2007-08:

  

 NHS Board
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Ayrshire and Arran
 23
 23
 28
 22
 32


 Borders
 -
 3
 -
 -
 2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1
 1
 -
 1
 4


 Fife 
 24
 49
 37
 32
 23


 Forth Valley
 17
 33
 25
 10
 16


 Grampian
 103
 97
 69
 66
 68


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 55
 67
 44
 49
 53


 Highland 
 18
 20
 13
 10
 9


 Lanarkshire
 40
 54
 51
 40
 20


 Lothian
 3
 5
 8
 6
 14


 Orkney Islands 
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Shetland
 -
 1
 -
 1
 2


 Tayside
 5
 7
 2
 9
 5


 Western Isles
 2
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Scotland
 291
 361
 277
 247
 248



  Source: Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland; Scottish Morbidity and Mortality Record 01(SMR01). Zero cases (-).

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many admissions to accident and emergency departments resulted from a rotavirus infection in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: This information is not available centrally.

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many GP consultations related to a rotavirus infection there were in the last year for which figures are available.

Shona Robison: The exact number of GP consultations related to a rotavirus infection in Scotland is not available centrally. However, national estimates can be made based on the number of consultations for the condition at general practices participating in PTI (Practice Team Information). PTI data are obtained from a sample of Scottish general practices. This sample covers the full range of age, sex, deprivation and urban/rural classes existing in Scotland.

  There were an estimated 58 consultations with a member of a practice team (GP, practice-employed nurse) for a rotavirus infection in Scotland, during the financial year 2007-08. For further information see www.isdscotland.org/isd/3729.html.

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to early years centres, nurseries and primary schools regarding rotavirus infections.

Shona Robison: No national guidance specific to rotavirus infections is given to early years centres, nurseries or primary schools.

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to childminders regarding rotavirus infections.

Shona Robison: No national guidance specific to rotavirus infections is given to childminders.

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment is being made of the impact on the workforce of rotavirus infections in children, including the impact on parents and carers who are required to take time off work to look after children.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on parents and low-income families who are required to take time off work to look after children affected by the rotavirus.

Shona Robison: No such assessment has been made.

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation regarding the potential benefits of a rotavirus vaccination.

Shona Robison: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) considered all evidence around the rotavirus vaccination, including potential benefits of the vaccination, prior to making their statement of 20 February 2009. Vaccination policy within Scotland is informed by the JCVI recommendations.

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the view of the World Health Organization in relation to universal infant rotavirus vaccination.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the joint guidelines of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Disease and the European Society for Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition that recommend that a rotavirus vaccination is offered to all healthy infants in Europe.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the provision of a rotavirus vaccine in light of the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland’s priorities for health protection for 2008 to 2010.

Shona Robison: Vaccination policy in Scotland is informed by recommendations by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the UK-wide independent advisory committee that provides advice to all UK health departments on vaccination. The JCVI have considered rotavirus vaccination and have concluded that while rotavirus vaccines would reduce the incidence of gastroenteritis in the population, at current vaccine prices they do not meet the current economic criteria for the introduction of a new vaccine. The JCVI keep all recommendations under review.

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has estimated the cost of providing a universal rotavirus vaccine for children.

Shona Robison: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the UK-wide independent advisory committee which provides advice to the UK health departments on vaccination issues, considered the cost of providing a universal rotavirus vaccine for children prior to making its statement of 20 February 2009. The JCVI continues to reassess the cost effectiveness data in order to inform future decisions.

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to raise awareness of the rotavirus.

Shona Robison: Regular briefings to professionals on a range of organisms, including rotavirus, are provided by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) via the HPS surveillance systems and through the HPS weekly report, which is available on the HPS website. At present no public facing activity to raise awareness of rotavirus is planned.

Child Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the results of the rotavirus vaccination programme in the United States of America.

Shona Robison: Vaccination policy in Scotland is informed by recommendations by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the UK-wide independent advisory committee that provides advice to all UK health departments on vaccination. In making their statement of 20 February 2009 on rotavirus vaccination the JCVI considered a range of evidence, including information from the USA.

Child Safety

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop and deliver a child safety action plan.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop and deliver child safety-related legislation.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what child safety-related initiatives it is (a) delivering and (b) planning.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its directorates is responsible for leading on child safety-related issues.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recent publication of its road safety strategy, what plans it has to produce and publish a (a) child safety, (b) home safety and (c) play safety strategy.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government recognises that there are a variety of ways in which to address the issue of child safety and is fully committed to promoting the safety of all children and young people in Scotland. This means that child safety is the responsibility of a number of Scottish Government Directorates and our commitment is expressed in a wide range of frameworks, strategies and initiatives including:

  The Early Years Framework, Equally Well, Good Places, Better Health, Promoting Positive Outcomes, Scottish Road Safety Framework and Don’t Give Fire a Home.

  There are also a significant number of local child safety initiatives, many of which are supported by the Scottish Government. These include Child Safety Week, a safety advice resource, Fire Cadets, school travel plans, "Fife Cares" child safety service and "Buy Wise Be Safe".

Education

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average number is of pupils per primary school in each local authority.

Fiona Hyslop: The average number of pupils per primary school in each local authority is:

  Average Number of Pupils Per Primary School*

  

 Local Authority
 


 Aberdeen City
 246


 Aberdeenshire
 125


 Angus
 159


 Argyll and Bute
 72


 Clackmannanshire
 203


 Dumfries and Galloway
 99


 Dundee City
 259


 East Ayrshire
 195


 East Dunbartonshire
 228


 East Lothian
 211


 East Renfrewshire
 345


 Edinburgh City
 262


 Eilean Siar
 53


 Falkirk
 234


 Fife
 187


 Glasgow City
 221


 Highland
 93


 Inverclyde
 236


 Midlothian
 209


 Moray
 149


 North Ayrshire
 194


 North Lanarkshire
 210


 Orkney Islands
 67


 Perth and Kinross
 130


 Renfrewshire
 251


 Scottish Borders
 128


 Shetland Islands
 57


 South Ayrshire
 178


 South Lanarkshire
 189


 Stirling
 156


 West Dunbartonshire
 199


 West Lothian
 219


 All local authorities
 172


 Grant aided**
 460



  Notes:

  *The statistics are derived from the latest annual pupil census which took place in September 2008.

  **At September 2008, there was one grant-aided mainstream primary school.

Environment

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list cases of damage to Sites of Special Scientific Interest reported since 31 March 2005, showing the name of the site, extent of damage, likely recovery period, cause of damage and action taken.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list cases of damage to European wildlife sites reported since 31 March 2005, showing the name of the site, extent of damage, likely recovery period, cause of damage and action taken.

Roseanna Cunningham: Cases are recorded by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) where the damage exceeds a threshold of being over 0.5 ha in area or 100m in length or 10% of the interest feature on the site, or where SNH is aware of an incident being reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

  The information requested is provided in the following table.

  

 SSSI Site Name1
 Natura Site Name2
 Cause of Damage
LikelyRecoveryPeriod3
 Area Damaged (Ha) or Length (m) or Population/Habitat Damage (%)4
 Action Taken to Date


 Creag Meagaidh
 Creag Meagaidh Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (Special Protection Area - SPA Not Impacted)
 Fire Damage
 Short-term
 61ha
 3rd party responsible. Temporary high risk fire signs proposed for site.


 Culbin Sands, Culbin Forest and Findhorn Bay
 Moray and Nairn Coast SPA, Culbin Bar SAC
 Commercial hand collection of cockles
 Short-term
 NA
 Court case accused found guilty and fine issued.


 Langwell Water
 Berriedale and Langwell Waters SAC
 Landslide
 Short-term
 2ha
 SNH in contact with owner


 Loch Fleet
 Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet SPA
 Vehicle Track Damage
 Short-term
 15%-20% of Population (twinflower)
 SNH in contact with owner


 Morrich More
 Dornoch Firth and Morrich More SAC, Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet SPA
 Accidental fire from spotting charge on bombing run
 Short-term
 70ha
 SNH in contact with owner


 Muirkirk Uplands
 Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands SPA
 Fire Damage
 Short-term
 45ha
 SNH in contact with owner


 Strath Carnaig and Strath Fleet Moors
 
 Muirburn
 Short-term
 0.75ha
 SNH in contact with owner


 Whiteness Head
 Moray Firth SAC, SPA
 Digger Track Damage
 Short-term
 220m
 SNH in contact with owner


 
 Morvern Woods SAC
 Fire Damage
 Short-term
 15ha
 SNH in contact with owner


 
 River Bladnoch SAC
 River engineering (deepening, clearing vegetation, formation of groyne)
 Short-term
 NA
 Police investigated and reporte made to Procurator Fiscal. SNH is liaising with River Bladanoch District Salmon Fishery Board. Responsible party has agreed to pay for restoration works.


 Dornoch Firth
 Dornoch Firth and Morrich More SAC, Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet SPA
 Golf course construction and management
 Not Likely
 95% of Population (Pyramidal Bungle)
 SNH in contact with owner


 Muirkirk Uplands
 Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands SPA
 Opencast Bog Burst
 Not Likely
 17.8ha
 SNH in contact with owner and manager. Local authority planning enforcement officer informed and site meeting held. Reported to Police.


 Strath Carnaig and Strath Fleet Moors
 
 Track construction
 Not Likely
 1.5ha
 SNH in contact with owner. Police informed.


 Arran Northern Mountains SSSI & Arran Moors SSSI
 Arran Moors SPA
 Fire Damage - arsonists set fire to roadside bush that then led to fire damage to adjoining SSSI.
 Long-Term
 50ha
 Reported by Police to Procurator Fiscal for intentional or reckless damage. Successful prosecution


 Bad na Gallaig
 Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC, SPA
 Fire Damage
 Long-term
 34ha
 SNH in contact with owner to establish person(s) responsible


 Ballyoukan Juniper Wood
 
 Overgrazing
 Long-term
 4.7ha
 SNH in contact with owner and occupier. Police informed.


 Coire na Beinne Mires
 Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC, SPA
 Fire Damage
 Long-term
 307ha
 SNH in correspondence with owner


 Craigellachie
 
 Fire Damage
 Long-term
 28ha
 3rd party responsible. High risk fire signs proposed for site.


 Dornoch Firth
 Dornoch Firth and Morrich More SAC, Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet SPA
 Quad Bike track damage
 Long-term
 1400m
 SNH in contact with owner & manager and sign erected


 Druim na Coibe
 Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC, SPA
 Drainage Ditches to improve a route for argocat passage
 Long-term
 0.75ha
 SNH in contact made with Factor


 Dunnet Head
 North Caithness Cliffs SPA
 Fire Damage
 Long-term
 25ha
 SNH in contact with owner. Police informed


 Eastern Cairngorms
 Cairngorms SAC, SPA
 Moor Gripping
 Long-term
 200m
 SNH in contact with owner.


 Invernaver
 Invernaver SAC
 Vehicle Damage
 Long-term
 1ha
 SNH in contact with owner. Police informed.


 Knockdaw Hill
 Not in SAC part.
 Unconsented drainage works carried out by new owner. Site drained after SNH had earlier advised him of the SSSI.
 Long-term
 NA
 Case reported to Police. Case referred to deputy (Env) Fiscal who advised that it was time barred and declined to take it. Owner agreed to restore damaged feature and take civil action against vendor.


 Loch Eck
 
 Tree felling
 Long-term
 0.5ha
 SNH in contact with owner and letter sent. FCS informed.


 Loch Shiel
 Loch Moidart and Loch Shiel Woods SAC
 Fire Damage
 Long-term
 26ha
 SNH in contact with owner and manager


 Lochan Buidhe Mires
 
 Fire Damage
 Long-term
 690ha
 3rd party responsible.


 Meikleour Area
 River Tay SAC not affected
 Track Construction
 Long-term
 400m
 SNH in contact with manager. Police informed


 Merrick Kells
 Merrick Kells SAC
 Fire damage
 Long-term
 2,000ha
 3rd party responsible.


 Oliclett
 Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC, SPA
 Fire Damage
 Long-term
 145ha
 SNH in contact with owner. PMS payment penalty incurred


 Shingle Islands
 Shingle Islands SAC
 Creation & extension of flood embankments
 Long-term
 3ha
 Police informed and charge brought. Court case.


 Slamannan Plateau
 Slamannan Plateau SPA
 Construction of large cow shed
 Long-term
 0.06ha
 Police informed. Owner charged. Court case. Alternative solution found and case closed


 Southern Parphe
 
 Fire Damage
 Long-term
 160ha
 3rd party responsible.


 Strath Carnaig and Strath Fleet Moors
 
 Muirburn
 Long-term
 225ha
 SNH in contact with owner and manager and letter sent


 Strathy Coast
 
 4X4 Track damage
 Long-term
 200m
 SNH in contact with 3rd Parties.


 Strathy Coast
 
 Vehicle tracking
 Long-term
 900m
 Police informed and sign erected


 Syre Peatlands
 Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC, SPA
 Fire damage
 Long-term
 730ha
 SNH in contact with owner and manager


 Trotternish Ridge (Storr to Quirang)
 Trotternish Ridge SAC
 Muirburn
 Long-term
 9.25ha
 SNH in contact with occupiers


 West Strathnaver
 Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC, SPA
 Fire damage
 Long-term
 1,407ha
 SNH in contact with owner and manager



  Notes:

  1, 2. In some instances, a particular SSSI is named differently to the Natura 2000 site (or part of a Natura 2000 site) which it underpins. The Natura site name is included only if damage occurred within the Natura site.

  3. In most cases the likely recovery period has been estimated on the basis that effective management will be applied and that this will hasten recovery.

  4. Short-term damage: damaged interest features likely to recover in three years or less.

  Long-term damage: damaged interest features likely to require more than three years to recover.

  Recovery not likely: damaged interest features unlikely to recover.

Health

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance regarding the use of air fresheners it issues to NHS boards and other agencies providing services for people with respiratory problems.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not issue specific guidance to NHS boards on the issue. Advice for agencies providing services for people with respiratory problems would depend on specific circumstances.

Health

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the extent to which exposure to volatile organic compounds may result in respiratory effects.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government takes advice on the health effects of pollutants from the relevant agencies and the independent expert committees which have been established by the UK Governments for this purpose.

  For these concerns, the relevant advisory committees include the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment and the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP).

  The results of their various considerations of the health effects of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can be found on their respective websites. This includes a COMEAP report from 2004, Guidance on the Effects on Health of Indoor Air Pollutants.

  The World Health Organization expects to publish guidelines for indoor air quality by the end of 2009 (http://www.euro.who.int/air/activities/20070510_2) and the Scottish Government will consider how to address its recommendations.

Health

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice or guidance it has given, or plans to give, to NHS boards in relation to the provision of services for patients who suffer from multiple chemical sensitivities.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has no plans to issue specific guidance to NHS boards on the issue of multiple chemical sensitivity. In reviewing evidence relating to such concerns, UK government’s committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) commented in 2000 that "multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) was a condition largely defined by the patient, and that there was no consistent pattern of symptoms or exposure data to define the condition". People concerned about allergies to chemicals should discuss these with their GP in the first instance, to allow for proper assessment of individual needs.

Hepatitis

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed with hepatitis C in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.

Shona Robison: The answer is provided in the following table.

  Persons in Scotland reported to be hepatitis C antibody-positive by NHS board and year earliest positive specimen, 2003-08:

  

 NHS Board
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 Ayrshire and Arran 
 149
 121
 103
 133
 100
 141


 Borders
 11
 13
 10
 18
 15
 18


 Dumfries and Galloway
 50
 54
 65
 49
 47
 56


 Fife
 24
 64
 62
 47
 86
 46


 Forth Valley
 68
 83
 71
 89
 91
 80


 Grampian
 198
 167
 177
 187
 148
 184


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 728
 650
 593
 544
 585
 664


 Highland
 59
 33
 36
 53
 34
 65


 Lanarkshire
 129
 133
 157
 103
 95
 130


 Lothian
 148
 240
 240
 206
 216
 198


 Orkney
 0
 1
 1
 0
 0
 0


 Shetland
 2
 2
 2
 3
 3
 3


 Tayside
 84
 97
 101
 105
 133
 147


 Western Isles
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 3


 Scotland
 1,650
 1,658
 1,618
 1,537
 1,554
 1,735

Hepatitis

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of people who may have contracted hepatitis C but have not yet received a diagnosis.

Shona Robison: By the end of 2008, an estimated 39,000 people living in Scotland were chronically infected with hepatitis C. Of the 39,000 with chronic hepatitis C, an estimated 23,500 (60%) remained undiagnosed by the end of 2008.

Higher Education

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of graduates from Scottish higher education institutions gained employment in Scotland as a first destination in each of the last three years, broken down by university.

Fiona Hyslop: The following table shows the percentage of graduates from Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) who were in employment in Scotland six months after graduating. The data is shown by institution with the total for all Scottish HEIs given at the top.

  Percentage of Graduates from Scottish HEIs in Employment in Scotland by Institution

  

 Institution
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 All Scottish HEIs
 56.5%
 57.0%
 61.6%


 Bell College
 48.3%
 49.1%
 61.0%


 Edinburgh College of Art
 38.7%
 50.9%
 42.2%


 Glasgow Caledonian University
 70.4%
 61.5%
 79.4%


 Glasgow School of Art
 49.8%
 49.5%
 45.7%


 Heriot-Watt University
 45.8%
 52.0%
 52.3%


 Napier University
 54.5%
 55.0%
 60.8%


 Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
 68.0%
 62.3%
 70.5%


 Scottish Agricultural College
 44.3%
 26.0%
 37.7%


 The Robert Gordon University
 72.9%
 75.3%
 72.3%


 The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
 36.9%
 50.0%
 45.3%


 The University of Aberdeen
 59.9%
 58.3%
 61.8%


 The University of Dundee
 64.0%
 65.6%
 70.4%


 The University of Edinburgh
 44.3%
 44.5%
 45.6%


 The University of Glasgow
 53.7%
 57.6%
 58.5%


 The University of Paisley
 67.7%
 73.5%
 78.8%


 The University of St Andrews
 19.5%
 17.0%
 21.3%


 The University of Stirling
 65.6%
 63.1%
 69.7%


 The University of Strathclyde
 67.7%
 69.4%
 71.5%


 UHI Millennium Institute
 42.6%
 38.4%
 46.9%


 University of Abertay Dundee
 62.4%
 52.5%
 49.8%



  Notes:

  The data for this table was provided by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

  The figures in this table have not been adjusted for non-response.

  Overall response rates for 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 are 71%, 73% and 70% respectively.

Higher Education

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average student debt was of a student leaving a higher education institute in Edinburgh in each of the last five years.

Fiona Hyslop: Data on the average debt held by former students leaving higher education in Edinburgh is held by the Student Loans Company. This information is provided in the following table. The table includes information on students who participated in higher education at either a higher education institution or college in Edinburgh. The vast majority will have participated in higher education at a higher education institution.

  Average debt is calculated at the point of entering repayment (i.e. 31 March of the cohort year) rather than at the point of leaving higher education. Hence the 2009 cohort year refers to those students who left higher education in 2008, the 2008 cohort year refers to those students who left in 2007 and so on.

  Average Debt of Borrowers Who Participated in Higher Education in Edinburgh

  

 Account Cohort Year
 Count of Borrowers
 Average Debt


 2005
 6,000
£6,900


 2006
 6,000
£6,730


 2007
 5,800
£6,710


 2008
 5,800
£6,120


 2009
 5,600
£6,370



  Source: Student Loans Company.

  Notes:

  1. Count of Borrowers rounded to the nearest 100.

  2. Average Debt rounded to the nearest £10.

  3. Institutions based in Edinburgh and included in the table are: University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh College of Art, Queen Margaret University College, Free Church of Scotland College – Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, Stevenson College - Edinburgh, Telford College – Edinburgh, Edinburgh School of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, Edinburgh Napier University and Scottish Agricultural College.

Higher Education

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average level of debt held after leaving university by former students from the Lothians region was in each year since 1999.

Fiona Hyslop: Data on the average debt held after leaving higher education by former students is held by the Student Loans Company. The table below shows this information for the Lothians region, which comprises of East Lothian, Edinburgh (City of), Midlothian and West Lothian local authority areas.

  Average debt is calculated at the point of entering repayment (i.e. 31 March of the cohort year) rather than at the point of leaving higher education. Hence the 2009 cohort year refers to those students who left higher education in 2008, the 2008 cohort year refers to those students who left in 2007 and so on.

  Data prior to account cohort 2002 is not available.

  Average Debt of Borrowers in the Lothian Region

  

 Account Cohort Year
 Count of Borrowers
 Average Debt


 2002
 4,200
£4,540


 2003
 4,800
£5,430


 2004
 4,600
£6,220


 2005
 4,600
£6,570


 2006
 4,400
£6,440


 2007
 4,100
£6,410


 2008
 4,100
£5,840


 2009
 3,900
£5,970



  Source: Student Loans Company.

  Notes:

  1. Count of Borrowers rounded to the nearest 100.

  2. Average Debt rounded to the nearest £10.

Higher Education

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that discretionary funds are available for students who require them.

Fiona Hyslop: We have increased provision for discretionary funds from the £14.04 million we inherited from the last administration (in 2006-07), to £14.7 million in 2007-08, £16.1 million in 2008-09 and to £16.44 million in 2009-10. This represents a total overall increase of 17.1%.

  Each institution is notified of its allocation for the forthcoming academic year in June. At this time they are also issued with guidance from the Scottish Government to assist in the disbursement of these funds. The funds are managed and distributed by the institutions themselves since they are best placed to assess the needs of the individual student.

  In order best to meet demand on these funds, an in-year redistribution process was introduced in January 2007, allowing institutions to return any unspent funds from previous years as part of their annual audited returns, and at the same time request any additional funds that they anticipate requiring for the current year. The total funds returned are then distributed among those institutions requesting additional funds. This process allows us to better monitor the demands on the discretionary funds, giving us an understanding of what the extent of student hardship may be in any one year.

Housing

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of community safety partnerships is in delivering home safety awareness and other home safety initiatives.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that community safety partnerships deliver home safety awareness and other home safety initiatives locally.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how the delivery of home safety awareness and other home safety initiatives will be recorded and measured by (a) it and (b) local authorities.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities prioritise child home injury prevention in their community safety partnerships.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done by (a) it and (b) local authorities to meaningfully involve and consult children and young people about safety plans and initiatives.

Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24995 on 16 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Housing

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications were made to the Rural Empty Properties Grant scheme in each year since its inception and what percentage of applications was successful.

Alex Neil: Since April 1999 there have been 51 successful applications for Rural Empty Property Grant (REPG). The following table details how many properties have benefitted from the REPG scheme since financial year 1999-2000.

  

 Year of Approval
 Units Approved


 1999-2000
 9


 2000-01
 11


 2001-02
 11


 2002-03
 5


 2003-04
 3


 2004-05
 1


 2005-06
 2


 2006-07
 34


 2007-08
 21


 2008-09
 7


 Total
 104



  We do not hold information on unsuccessful grant applications.

Housing

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many awards were made under the Rural Empty Properties Grant scheme in each year since its inception and what the total value of the awards was.

Alex Neil: Since April 1999, £2.851 million of Rural Empty Property Grant (REPG) has been awarded on 51 projects.

  The following table shows how many awards were made under REPG scheme in each year since 1999-2000 and what the total value of awards was.

  

 Year of Approval
 Units Approved
 Grant


 1999-2000
 9
£126,700


 2000-01
 11
£172,662


 2001-02
 11
£221,318


 2002-03
 5
£114,605


 2003-04
 3
£91,953


 2004-05
 1
£26,872


 2005-06
 2
£71,598


 2006-07
 34
£963,189


 2007-08
 21
£747,328


 2008-09
 7
£314,634

Housing

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the Rural Empty Properties Grant scheme.

Alex Neil: Details of the Rural Empty Property Grant are provided on the Scottish Government website and information and advice on the scheme is available from the local Scottish Government Housing Investment Division offices across Scotland.

  Many local authorities and rural interest groups also promote the grant at the local level.

Housing

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many units were refurbished and subsequently let with assistance from the Rural Empty Properties Grant scheme in each year since its inception.

Alex Neil: Since April 1999,104 units have been or are in the process of being refurbished with the assistance of Rural Empty Property Grant (REPG). Seventy-four of these units are complete and have been let. We do not retain figures for re-lets.

Housing

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the European Investment Bank for funding for affordable housing; how much funding has been requested, and what the outcomes of those representations were.

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it would spend any funding from the European Investment Bank for affordable housing.

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its affordable housing investment plans are dependent on additional funding from the European Investment Bank.

Alex Neil: The European Investment Bank (EIB) periodically makes funds available for affordable housing across the UK through The Housing Finance Corporation (THFC). There is regular contact between officials and lenders, including THFC, as part of supporting the provision of private finance to the sector. At present £50 million is available from the EIB for Scottish housing associations. The EIB money is in the form of competitively-priced loan finance and, in order to access this, housing associations have to apply to THFC and meet their lending criteria. As with all private finance this £50 million is available to complement the Scottish Government’s record investment of £675 million in affordable housing in 2009-10 and will support the Government’s target of 8,100 approvals this year.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24792 by Fergus Ewing on 22 June 2009, which sheriff court would deal with cases from local authority areas that do not have a sheriff court, in particular East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and North Ayrshire.

Fergus Ewing: In general, the sheriff court that has jurisdiction in a repossession case is dependent on the location of the property in question.

  Normally, cases relating to properties in East Dunbartonshire will be dealt with at either Glasgow or Dumbarton Sheriff Courts, depending on the location of the property and the sheriff court boundaries that it lies within.

  Similarly, cases relating to properties in East Renfrewshire will generally be dealt with at Paisley Sheriff Court.

  Cases relating to properties in Midlothian will normally be dealt with at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

  Cases relating to properties in North Ayrshire will generally be dealt with at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.

Housing

Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering any legislation to update the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has no current plans to update the act. We are of course always willing to consider suggestions for legislative change where a persuasive case can be made.

Justice

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at St Cuthbert’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at St Elizabeth’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at High Blantyre Primary School in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at St Paul’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at St John’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at St Joseph’s Primary School in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at Woodside Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at St Ninian’s School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at Woodhead Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at Chatelherault Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at St Mark’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at Quarter Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at Neilsland Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at St Peter’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at Udston Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at Glenlee Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at St Blane’s Primary School in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at Townhill Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at Auchinraith Primary School in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded in the grounds of David Livingstone Memorial Primary School in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at John Ogilvie High School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been recorded at Calderside Academy in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Fiona Hyslop: The information requested is not held centrally.

Justice

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at St Cuthbert’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at St Elizabeth’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at High Blantyre Primary School in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at St Paul’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at St John’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at St Joseph’s Primary School in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at Woodside Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at St Ninian’s School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at Woodhead Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at Chatelherault Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at St Mark’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at Quarter Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at Neilsland Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at St Peter’s Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at Udston Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at Glenlee Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at St Blane’s Primary School in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at Townhill Primary School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at Auchinraith Primary School in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at David Livingstone Memorial Primary School in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at John Ogilvie High School in Hamilton in each year since 1999.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of knife crime have been recorded at Calderside Academy in Blantyre in each year since 1999.

Fiona Hyslop: The requested information is not centrally available.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24010 on 1 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Medication

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3652 by Shona Robison on 13 September 2007, for what reasons the number of prescriptions of Ritalin fell in each year between 2002 and 2007 and whether this number is expected to continue to fall in future years.

Shona Robison: Ritalin is one of a number of products containing methylphenidate hydrochloride, used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While the total prescribing of these products increased between 2002 and 2007 and continued to increase in 2008 and 2009, the number of prescribed items for Ritalin continued to fall in 2008 and 2009 (3,466 and 2,723 prescribed items respectively).

  The reason for this may be that prescribers have chosen other methylphenidate products. The decision on which product to prescribe for an individual patient is a matter for the clinical judgement of the prescriber informed by advice and evidence about the medicine.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24423 by Shona Robison on 11 June 2009, when NHS Scotland will evaluate its dissemination strategy for Facing Dementia with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and whether the outcome will be published.

Shona Robison: NHS Health Scotland is continuing to monitor demand and ensure further distribution of this publication through NHS board Health Promotion Departments, Dementia Integrated Care Pathway Coordinators, the Alzheimer Scotland Helpline, the Dementia Services Development Centre and the Scottish Dementia Working Group. A report on the dissemination during 2008-09 is to be made to the Dementia Forum in spring 2010 and whilst there are no plans to publish formally it will be available on request.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the forcible injection of a drug to a person detained under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 prior to a tribunal hearing does not constitute a breach of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Shona Robison: There are three ways in which a person may be deprived of their liberty or subjected to compulsory measures of treatment under the civil regime in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 ("the 2003 Act"), namely (a) emergency detention, (b) short-term detention and (c) long-term detention or compulsory measures under the authority of a compulsory treatment order. In addition, mentally disordered offenders may be made subject to compulsory measures of treatment by the courts under the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 ("the 1995 Act").

  The majority of compulsory measures of treatment for mental disorder are first approved by an independent and impartial tribunal, either by the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland under Part 7 of the 2003 Act (compulsory treatment orders) or by a court under the 1995 Act in relation to mentally disordered offenders. The two exceptions to this prior authority for treatment for mental disorder by a court or tribunal are: civil emergency detention under Part 5 of the 2003 Act and short-term detention under Part 6 of the 2003 Act.

  In relation to emergency detention, the authorised period of detention is just 72 hours and the purpose of the detention is to determine what medical treatment requires to be provided to the patient. There is no general authority to give treatment for mental disorder under an emergency detention certificate, and this certificate therefore differs from other measures under the 2003 Act; urgent medical treatment only may be given under section 243 of the Act. Given the very short duration of the certificate and the emergency situation with which it is dealing, and by reference to the leading Strasburg case on lawfulness of detention (Winterwerp), the Scottish Government is satisfied that this measure is European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) compliant.

  Short-term detention is governed by Part 6 of 2003 Act. The authorised period for detention is 28 days and the purpose of the detention is to determine what medical treatment should be given to the patient and/or to give that treatment to the patient. The detention certificate is granted by an approved medical practitioner provided that certain statutory conditions are satisfied, and treatment can be given for mental disorder in accordance with the rules set out in Part 16 of the Act. Protections are built in for the patient within the Act: the patient’s views should be taken into account, including where these are expressed in an advance statement; the patient’s responsible medical officer is under a duty to consider from time-to-time whether it continues to be necessary for the patient to be detained in hospital and to revoke the certificate where he or she is no longer satisfied that this is the case; and the patient and their named person has the right to apply to the Mental Health Tribunal for release. The provision within Part 6 for an appeal by a patient to the tribunal for revocation of a short-term detention certificate ensures access to "an independent and impartial tribunal established by law" for the purposes of article 6 ECHR.

  Any act of the Scottish Parliament requires to be within legislative competence, which includes its provisions being compatible with rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. Both the Scottish ministers and the Scottish Parliament were satisfied during its passage through the Parliament that the 2003 Act, which authorises compulsory measures of treatment for mental disorder, was ECHR compatible.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to review its guidance on pharmacological interventions in Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network guidelines in order to provide national guidance on prescribing to treat the behavioural symptoms for people with dementia, as recommended in the Remember, I’m still me report by the Mental Welfare Commission and the Care Commission.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network will be consulting on the need to review this guideline in the autumn as part of its routine process.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that doctors and pharmacists review all prescriptions for people with dementia for antipsychotic drugs.

Shona Robison: We will consider arrangements for the safe and appropriate prescribing of antipsychotic drugs for people with dementia as part of the work to be taken forward to prepare a Dementia Strategy for Scotland.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that doctors and pharmacists work with care homes to ensure that legal documentation is completed and to give appropriate advice on disguising medicines.

Shona Robison: We will consider this as part of the work to prepare a Dementia Strategy for Scotland.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the circumstances underlying the use of disguised medicines given to patients with dementia in care homes.

Shona Robison: The revised Scottish Government Code of Practice on Part 5 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 , published on 11 March 2008, notes that the use of covert medication is permissible only in certain limited circumstances, for example to safeguard the health of an adult who is unable to consent to the treatment in question and where other alternatives have been explored and none are practicable. The revised code of practice can be accessed at:

  http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2008_11.pdf.

  The code of practice refers practitioners considering the use of covert medication to guidance documents prepared by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (MWC): Consent to Treatment (2006) and Covert Medication – a Legal and Practice Guide (2006). Both documents are available on the Mental Welfare Commission’s website at:

  http://www.mwcscot.org.uk/newpublications/good_practice_guidance.asp.

  This issue will also be considered further during our development of a Dementia Strategy for Scotland.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address mental health problems experienced by looked after children and what funding has been allocated specifically to this issue.

Shona Robison: We are implementing the recommendations from Looked after children and young people: We Can and Must Do Better. We recently wrote to NHS boards to remind them of their responsibility to these children and young people, not just whilst they are in care but also in their transition out of care. This responsibility is to ensure that the physical, mental and emotional health needs of all looked after children and young people for whom they have responsibility is assessed and that appropriate measures are put in place to ensure that any package of care that is put in place following this assessment, is delivered.

  To support the child and young people’s mental health improvement agenda, we have recently made available £2 million new money each year to accelerate the development of specialist services. In addition, we recently announced £6.5 million over three years to increase the number of psychologists working in specialist services in the NHS. This is staff that will be able to offer direct services and to support others such as teachers and social workers in the work that they do with young people with mental health problems.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to record and publish data on waiting times for psychological services.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of waiting times for patients. That is why we are continuing to look at ways to improve and expand waiting times information across NHS services.

  We have a specific commitment to improving access to evidenced-based psychological therapies that now includes consideration to establishing a waiting time target to access psychological therapies. To support this we are working closely with Information and Statistics Division and NHS boards to develop systems for collecting workforce, activity and waiting times data.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when data on the availability of psychological therapies will be available.

Shona Robison: We are putting in place arrangements to collect accurate and complete data based on common definitions that link therapies to particular conditions. The first stage of that work has been completed with the publication of The Matrix - a Guide to delivering evidence-based Psychological Therapies in Scotland . This can be accessed at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/mental-health/servicespolicy/matrixfeb2009.

  We are about to commence stage two of this work which will focus on referral pathways and information systems. That work should be completed during 2010-11.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the likely shortage of mental health officers as highlighted in the Audit Scotland report, Overview of mental health services .

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has continued to monitor Mental Health Officer (MHO) numbers over the past four years, by means of an annual MHO workforce survey, to assess the Scottish position and assist local services to address workforce planning. This annual survey has found that the numbers of social workers practising as MHOs had steadily increased over the period since 2005 that the new Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act has been in force, starting from 553 MHOs (495 whole-time equivalents) in 2005 and rising to 691 (625 whole-time equivalents) by 2007, with a small drop to 674 (622 whole-time equivalents) in 2008. The Audit Scotland Report was based on the 2008 MHO Workforce Survey figures.

  However, the number of local authorities reporting a shortfall also fell in that latter period, from 23 out of the 32 local authorities in 2007, to 14 of the 32 in 2008. In addition, the survey found in 2008 that there were 105 social workers undertaking training.

  Progress is being made by local authorities in redesigning services and, where necessary, increasing their MHO workforce and providing succession planning.

  The Scottish Government provides resources to local authorities by means of the Grant Aided Expenditure allocation. In order to meet the additional costs of implementing the 2003 Act when it came into force, including the costs of MHOs, the Scottish Government provided additional resources of £13 million per annum to local authorities; that additional funding has continued to be made to local authorities.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that older people in each NHS board area have access to psychological services.

Shona Robison: We have a specific commitment to increasing the availability of evidenced based psychological therapies for all ages and are working closely with NHS Education for Scotland and NHS boards to deliver on this commitment and meet patients needs better and sooner. We have a specific focus on the delivery of psychological services to older people that includes access issues such as delivering care to the housebound and those in case homes. We have also funded NHS Health Scotland to work with partners, such as Age Concern Scotland and the Mental Health Foundation, to address mental health in later life.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to collect data on the length of bed occupancy in psychiatric inpatient units to inform future planning of services.

Shona Robison: Through the Mental Health Benchmarking Project we have developed a balanced scorecard which measures 20 indicators to ensure information is available to allow NHS boards to measure and compare performances. One of these indicators is specifically around length of stay.

  Information and Statistics Division also currently collect and publish length of stay occupancy for mental health inpatients. This can be accessed at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/information-and-statistics.jsp?pContentID=1721&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its report on the implementation of quality standards for community mental health services.

Shona Robison: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) published the standards for integrated care pathways in mental health (Bib. number 44374) in December 2007 and established an accreditation system which was rolled out to the NHS boards in December 2008.

  This accreditation system is intended to be incremental and will support continuous quality improvement within mental health services, to ensure that NHS boards are moving forward with the development and implementation of mental health ICPs and that those ICPs are in line with the national standards.

  NHS boards are now working towards achieving foundation level accreditation, focusing on a number of the process standards. A number of NHS boards have already come forward and been successful in achieving foundation level accreditation; all results will be made public once the final ICP accreditation panels are held in August 2009.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will assess the effectiveness of action taken by local authorities and NHS boards to identify and address gaps in services for children, adolescents and older people with mental health problems in light of the findings in the Audit Scotland report, Overview of mental health services .

Shona Robison: As part of our ongoing twice yearly performance management reviews with NHS boards and partners we will be reviewing progress against the published challenging national performance targets which cover the full spectrum of mental health.

  Specifically to support improvements in the children and adolescent mental health services agenda (CAMHS) we are providing £6.5 million new money over the next three years to develop specialist CAMHS psychology workforce and support additional training places and posts.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in improving provision of psychological therapies for people with mental health problems.

Shona Robison: We are working closely with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and NHS boards to develop a range of initiatives to support the development around our commitment to expand and increase access to psychological therapies to meet patient’s needs better and sooner. This includes a tool for NHS boards to use in reviewing available evidence and in considering which psychological interventions might best be used to meet local need and demand. In collaboration with Skills for Health, NES has also produced psychological therapy competence frameworks to ensure that training equips staff to delivery therapy safely and effectively. We have also funded NES to support the training of a range of staff in a number of evidenced based therapeutic approaches.

  We will also be giving consideration in the coming months to establishing a waiting time target to access psychological therapies.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to monitor the allocation of resources at local level to support the move from hospital to community services for people with mental health problems.

Shona Robison: NHS boards and local authorities have responsibility to work in partnership and allocate resources on the basis of local needs and priorities, within the context of the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and commitments.

  Allocation of resources from boards to local authorities are a contribution towards the costs involved in shifting the balance of care from hospital to the community, and are negotiated, agreed and monitored locally. NHS board chief executives remain accountable for ensuring that resources allocated by boards to local authorities are used for the level and type of services agreed with care partners.

  Discussions are taking place between the Scottish Government and COSLA to assess the current arrangements for agreeing and managing resource transfers, to ensure consistency across Scotland.

  The Scottish Government’s Mental Health NHS Benchmarking Project is working to obtain more comprehensive information around both in-patient and community services; this data will enable boards, local authorities and others to compare and measure services and enhance local planning. The project has representation from the local authorities and through them we have approached the Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW) who are working to commission core definitions around local authority services. This work has to go to ADSW and local authorities for consultation and approval.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether data on waiting times for mental health services are now being collected routinely.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24333 on 11 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address mental health services where there have been long waiting times for access to treatments.

Shona Robison: In most cases, those requiring access to mental health services already receive treatment well within 18 weeks. However, for those areas where delays do occur, we are considering new waiting times targets.

  We are currently working to establish by April 2010, a referral to treatment waiting time target for specialist child and adolescent mental health services and over the coming months will be giving similar consideration to establishing a waiting time target to access psychological therapies.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to collect accurate statistics on dementia in light of the Audit Scotland report, Overview of mental health services , which identifies underreporting as an issue.

Shona Robison: Under the GMS contract GPs are paid for maintaining a register of patients with a diagnosis of dementia. We recognised in 2007 that the number of people on the dementia register was less than we expected from survey data available. That is why we put in place a target for NHS boards to deliver agreed improvements in the early diagnosis and management of patients with dementia and specifically linked to the number of people on the dementia register. The Mental Health Collaborative is also continuing to support NHS boards in their delivery of this target.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to develop services for people with dementia given the prediction by Alzheimer Scotland that the number of people with dementia will increase by 75% by 2031.

Shona Robison: Dementia is a priority for the Scottish Government and we have already put in place and planned a range of practical measures to improve early diagnosis, information, support and care management that is making a real difference not just to those with dementia, but also to their carers and families.

  We recently announced our intention to develop a Dementia Strategy over the summer months to review our current work to identify any gaps and further opportunities for change and improvement.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to collect data from GPs on the number of people recorded as having (a) schizophrenia and (b) bipolar disorder.

Shona Robison: As part of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) of the General Medical Services contract, GP practices hold a register of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other psychoses - the Mental Health register. The combined number of patients per 100 is reported as part of National Statistics and published by Information and Statistics Division (ISD), Scotland. There are no plans to collect data on the individual conditions.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve access to places of safety and assessment for people with mental health problems who are in police custody.

Shona Robison: Psychiatric Emergency Plans (PEPs) set out locally agreed, multi-agency plans for the safe and appropriate transport of people assessed as requiring emergency detention in hospital. PEPs cover a range of topics including the role of the Police and other agencies in emergency detention and the provision of appropriate places of safety. PEPs are all developed in keeping with the principles of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. Every health board has produced a PEP, agreed with the local authority, police and partner agencies. The PEP describes the procedures to be followed in identifying a suitable place of safety.

  In addition the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) has published and distributed a diversity booklet, A Practical Guide, to all police staff within the Scottish Police Service. In relation to the issue of "place of safety", the booklet contains a section specifically about mental health.

  All Scottish forces also have a place of safety policy in place which provides police staff with much more detailed information and guidance relating to local arrangements for place of safety.

  The ACPOS Mental Health Group continually monitors issues around the place of safety and has a strong working relationship with the Mental Welfare Commission. Indeed, work is currently ongoing to consider the reporting process for place of safety to the Mental Welfare Commission.

Mental Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in response to the report, Remember, I’m still me , produced jointly by the Care Commission and the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, relative to the quality of care for people with dementia living in a care home.

Shona Robison: The Dementia Strategy, to be developed over the summer months, will also focus on the issues identified in that report.

Mental Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop a national dementia strategy.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24446 on 11 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Pharmacies

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is monitoring the impact on patient care of the new quota system, also known as direct-to-pharmacy, introduced by pharmaceutical companies.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has asked Community Pharmacy Scotland to provide details of any instances where patient care has been directly affected because of this system and will continue to monitor the situation.

Pharmacies

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an extra cost to the NHS of the new quota system, also known as direct-to-pharmacy, introduced by pharmaceutical companies.

Shona Robison: The Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) is a voluntary agreement between the UK Health Departments and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). The scheme controls the price of branded medicines bought by the NHS.

  The new PPRS which came into effect in January 2009, contains a provision for any scheme member which intends to change its overall distribution arrangements in a manner likely to increase costs to the NHS being required to notify such changes to the Department of Health who act on behalf of the UK Health Departments.

  The Department of Health uses the quarterly information it receives relating to sales of branded medicines to monitor the impact of changes to the supply chain.

Pharmacies

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps ministers can take to address concerns regarding the new quota system, also known as direct-to-pharmacy, introduced by pharmaceutical companies.

Shona Robison: While the choice of method of medicines distribution is a commercial decision by the individual pharmaceutical company, the Scottish Government expects patients to continue to receive the medicines they need promptly.

  The Scottish Government has asked Community Pharmacy Scotland to provide details of any instances where patient care has been directly affected and will continue to monitor the situation.

Sheltered Housing

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recommendation in the Review of Sheltered Housing in Scotland , published in 2008, that "very sheltered housing would benefit from a wider national evaluation in the Scottish context" and, whether it will undertake an evaluation.

Alex Neil: Work on older people’s housing is now being taken forward through the Wider Planning for an Ageing Population workstream of the Reshaping Older People’s Care programme. This workstream seeks to strengthen the role of housing in enabling older people to live independently for as long as possible and consider the implications of the demographic changes ahead.

  As part of this work, we are commissioning research to establish the feasibility of developing a modelling tool to help assess need, demand and supply for housing and related care services for older people at a local level, in the light of demographic change. This will cover the full range of housing and service options, including very sheltered housing, which can help older people to remain safely and independently in their own homes.

  Following the initial scoping research for the modelling tool and discussions with stakeholders as part of the Wider Planning for an Ageing Population workstream, we will consider whether separate research evaluating very sheltered housing is required.

Sheltered Housing

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which recommendations of the Review of Sheltered Housing in Scotland , published in 2008, it has implemented.

Alex Neil: We have taken forward a number of follow-up actions to the Review of Older People’s Housing (ROOPH), although not all were direct recommendations of the Review of Sheltered Housing. Follow-up actions have included:

  Establishment of three housing demonstrator projects for older people in Highland, Inverclyde and West Lothian. The projects promote joined up and preventative work across housing, health and social care services.

  Publication of new guidance on Local Housing Strategies (LHS) in June 2008, providing advice on the integration of physical housing planning and development, with support for people to maintain their housing. The guidance emphasised the need for LHS to be consistent with other strategies in relation to different groups, including older people.

  Preparation of new housing investment guidance on the funding of accommodation for people with particular needs which will shortly be subject to consultation, prior to publication.

  Development of the House Key website, including transfer to the Scottish Government website, promoting greater use of the site and its directories of sheltered housing and support services.

  Further work on older people’s housing is being taken forward through the Wider Planning for an Ageing Population workstream of the Reshaping Older People’s Care programme. This is a wide-ranging programme which aims to develop sustainable models of care and support for older people, in the context of demographic change.

Sheltered Housing

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to the provision of very sheltered housing.

Alex Neil: As part of the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) we fund a range of provision for clients with particular housing needs. These include the provision of sheltered and very sheltered housing, the provision of supported accommodation and adaptations to allow people to stay in their own home when circumstances change.

  When housing associations are allocated funding from AHIP to build new homes these homes are generally required to meet Housing for Varying Needs standards, which ensures that the housing is designed to allow it to continue as far as possible to meet the changing needs of the occupant.

  Scottish Government also supports the Telecare initiative to enable people to live at home for longer as their needs change, and the Supporting People Demonstrator projects (through the Scottish Government Joint Improvement Team).

Smoking

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist NHS staff trained in delivering smoking cessation services there have been in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board and type of service.

Shona Robison: A wide range of NHS staff are involved in the provision of smoking cessation services in Scotland. However, while the National Smoking Cessation Database (NSCD) set up by Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland captures information on people presenting to NHS services in Scotland for help to stop smoking, specific information on NHS staff trained in the delivery of such services is not held centrally.

  We are, of course, continuing to invest heavily both in the national network of cessation services which now exists in Scotland - some £39 million over the current spending period - and in providing training for those delivering smoking cessation services. Latest information released from the NSCD on 26 May 2009, indicates that this investment resulted in a record number of quit attempts, 50,121, in 2008 a 14% increase over 2007. Further details can be found on:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5945.html.

Teachers

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have been in post in South Lanarkshire Council at an appropriate date in each of the last five years, broken down by type of school.

Fiona Hyslop: This information is published in Teachers in Scotland, 2008 . A copy was sent to each MSP. The information is available on the government website using the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/04/29102949/0.

Teachers

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of falling school rolls, which local authorities have a commitment in their single outcome agreements to maintain teacher numbers and which of them have met that commitment

Fiona Hyslop: The single outcome agreements (SOAs) reflect the priorities and agreed outcomes for each council and include relevant supporting indicators and targets. Copies of all 32 SOAs can be obtained via the Improvement Service website at the following link:

  http://www.improvementservice.org.uk/single-outcome-agreements/.

  SOAs will be reported on annually around September. The SOA reporting process will have a dual purpose: first, an outward focus reporting to communities and the public on the delivery of outcomes in the local area, and second to report to the Scottish Government on contribution towards delivery of outcomes which support the National Performance Framework.

Vaccinations

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the duration of protection against cancer is following the administration to young women of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine.

Shona Robison: In terms of Cervarix, the vaccine product used in Scotland, evidence from clinical trials has demonstrated that the vaccine provides protection against cervical infection and pre-cancer caused by oncogenic HPV types for at least six years. Protection is expected to last for much longer.

Vaccinations

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how long the clinical trials were of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine.

Shona Robison: Cervarix has been under development for many years. The final pre-licensing phase of large-scale clinical trials – looking at the effectiveness and safety of the HPV vaccines – started more than seven years ago.

Vaccinations

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are taken to establish whether young women already have the human papilloma virus (HPV) prior to the administration of the vaccine.

Shona Robison: No such measures are taken. The age at which vaccination is recommend has been chosen on the basis that the vast majority of girls at that age will not yet have been exposed to the human papilloma virus.

Vaccinations

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what age the women involved in the clinical trials of the papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine were.

Shona Robison: The efficacy of Cervarix was assessed in two controlled, double-blind, randomised Phase II and III clinical trials that included a total of 19,778 women aged 15 to 25 years.

  In addition, safety and immunogenicity were studied in younger age groups in two clinical trials performed in girls and adolescents aged 10 to 14 years.

Vaccinations

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who administers the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination to girls born after 1 September 1990 who have left school.

Shona Robison: Delivery of the HPV vaccination is matter for NHS boards locally. Some NHS boards have reached agreements with GPs to enable delivery of the vaccination through GP practices. In other areas, NHS boards are vaccinating girls with their own staff. Mixed models of delivery through both GPs and NHS board staff also operate in some board areas.

Vaccinations

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a cut-off date after which girls born after 1 September 1990 who are involved in the catch-up human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme will no longer be eligible for the vaccination on the NHS.

Shona Robison: The offer of vaccination for all girls in the catch up cohort for HPV vaccination will remain until August 2011. This is in line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, who recommended vaccination be offered to girls aged 13-17 at the start of the vaccination programme for a time limited period only.

Vaccinations

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a cut-off date after which girls born after 1 September 1990 who have commenced a course of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination must complete the course.

Shona Robison: There is no formal cut-off date after which girls born after 1 September 1990 who have commenced a course of HPV vaccination must complete the course. However, the purpose of administering the HPV vaccine to girls at a young age is to provide them with protection before they are exposed to the human papillomavirus. As girls get older they are more likely to have been exposed to the virus and there may be less benefit from completing a course of vaccination.

  The offer of vaccination for all girls in the catch up cohort for HPV vaccination is time limited and will only remain until August 2011.

Vaccinations

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that girls born after 1 September 1990 who are eligible for the catch-up human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme and have not responded to invitations from NHS boards are given another opportunity to respond.

Shona Robison: The offer of vaccination for all girls in the catch up cohort for HPV vaccination will remain until August 2011. NHS boards locally will continue to seek to vaccinate girls within the catch-up campaign until this point. Additionally, the national marketing and awareness campaign which supports the HPV programme will continue to provide materials in the community to ensure older girls and those out of school have are made aware of the availability of the vaccination.

  The HPV vaccine is entirely voluntary and girls are entirely free to refuse the offer of the vaccination if they so wish.

Vaccinations

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to contact girls born after 1 September 1990 who had commenced a course of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination but failed to complete the course.

Shona Robison: NHS boards are responsible for delivery of the HPV vaccination programme locally. It is a matter for boards to ensure all girls who are eligible for the vaccine are made aware of the vaccination and are given the opportunity to receive all three doses.

  The HPV vaccination is entirely voluntary and girls are free to refuse the offer of vaccination if they wish to do so.

Young People

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people were classified as not being in employment, education or training (NEET) in each of the last 10 years.

Fiona Hyslop: The official source for statistics for Scotland on the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) is the Annual Population Survey. The numbers of 16 to 19-year-olds not in education, employment or training for each of the last 10 years for which data are available are given in the following table:

  16 to 19-Year-Olds Not in Employment, Education or Training, Scotland 1998-2007

  

 1998
 37,000


 1999
 36,000


 2000
 39,000


 2001
 37,000


 2002
 36,000


 2003
 35,000


 2004
 35,000


 2005
 37,000


 2006
 32,000


 2007
 32,000



  Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS), Calendar Quarters combined for 1996-2002. The 2003 figure includes some of the boost from the Annual Scottish LFS (ASLFS). Data from 2004 onwards are taken from the Annual Population Survey (APS). The APS and ASLFS include boosts to the main LFS. This means there is a discontinuity in the series.

Young People

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people were not in any form of education, employment or training in each year since 1997.

Fiona Hyslop: The official source for statistics for Scotland on the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) is the Annual Population Survey. The numbers of 16 to 19-year-olds NEET in each year since 1997 are given in the following table:

  16 to 19-Year-Olds Not in Employment, Education or Training, Scotland 1997-2008

  

 1997
 34,000


 1998
 37,000


 1999
 36,000


 2000
 39,000


 2001
 37,000


 2002
 36,000


 2003
 35,000


 2004
 35,000


 2005
 37,000


 2006
 32,000


 2007
 32,000


 2008
 31,000



  Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS), Calendar Quarters combined for 1997-2002. The 2003 figure includes some of the boost from the Annual Scottish LFS (ASLFS). Data from 2004 onwards are taken from the Annual Population Survey (APS). The APS and ASLFS include boosts to the main LFS. This means there is a discontinuity in the series.